The Sermon on the Mount

Introduction. The longest and most detailed sermon Jesus preached is called the Sermon on the Mount because Jesus went up on a mountain before He started and came down after He finished.

"And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying . . . when Jesus had ended these sayings . . . He had come down from the mountain." (Mt. 5:1 - 8:1)

This sermon is filled with practical solutions to many of the questions and problems His disciples face. Many have found great comfort, wisdom, and success from His words. Jesus dealt with many important decisions we must make regarding our attitudes, responses, relationships, motivations, and convictions.We can summarize the sermon:

You have heard... but I say: (murder, adultery, divorce, swearing, eye for eye, hating enemy)

Living to be seen of men or God (mercy, praying fasting)​

Our treasures on earth or heaven

As you judge you will be judged

Ask–given; seek–find; knock—opened

Do unto others as

The door and the way

False and true prophets

Those who say ‘Lord, Lord’

He divided all who hear these words into two categories. There will be some who hear, but through disdain or forgetfulness never get around to doing them. There will also be those who hear what He had to say, then get busy, remembering and setting priorities to do as much as they possibly can. Because “the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (Jn. 12:48), it is important not only to know these things, but also to be doing them.

Jesus gave the parable of foundations to help motivate us. Since everyone lives in a home, we can all relate to His words. Before any home is built, a decision is made regarding the type of foundation that will be laid. The stronger the foundation, the more work and costs will be incurred. Yet a foundation is only important if a storm comes. On a calm day with gentle breezes and sunshine, there is no need for a foundation. Many would opt out of a foundation if wise counsel was not sought. Yet Jesus gave a warning. Storms are coming and all houses (lives built) without a foundation are going to fall.

While Jesus promised that “whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock,” He also warned that “everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” Hence everyone who ignores or disregards the words of this sermon will be unprepared for the coming storm of death and judgment.

Since, “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27), those of us who are hearing these words need to be doing them. Only “he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." (Jas. 1:25)

Conclusion. As we look at the summary of the sermon above, are we a “forgetful hearer” or a “working doer?” Since these words form the foundation of our discipleship, the answer to that question defines our preparation. By hearing and doing we show our wisdom with a foundation of solid rock. If we are not doing them, we prove ourselves foolish with no foundation at all.

Bible Questions is a work of the Holly Street church of Christ in Denver, CO. Copyright (c) 2018 Holly Street church of Christ. All material within the website may be freely distributed for non-commercial uses by including a reference to the website.